Environment
Pioneering mushroom farm at Blenheim estate
Work has begun on a pioneering mushroom farm on the Blenheim Estate to grow gourmet mushrooms on spawn-inoculated substrate created from organic waste from Blenheim Palace.
Tourism
Galloway confirmed preferred location for Scotland’s next National Park
Galloway has been confirmed as the proposed location for Scotland’s third National Park.
Gardens
Fulham Palace Trust’s Bishop Compton collection granted National Plant Collection status
Plant Heritage granted Fulham Palace Trust’s Bishop Compton collection, National Plant Collection status recognising the comprehensive range of plants first cultivated at the Palace during the tenure of Bishop Henry Compton.
Natural Capital
Glaisters Bridge Community Woodland celebrates milestone tree planting and pathway creation
Foresight Sustainable Forestry Company Plc and the Upper Urr Environment Trust celebrate completion of initial works at the new Glaisters Bridge Community Woodland Site in Scotland.
Plants
Plant breeder, Rick Grazzini wins two awards at Cultivate ’24
GardenGenetics founder and master plant breeder, Rick Grazzini has won two awards at Cultivate ’24, the Greenhouse Grower’s annual Evening of Excellence Awards in Columbus, Ohio.
Plants
More than 50% of Kew’s trees at risk from effects of climate change
New report states that more than half of their 11,000 trees are at risk by 2090, due to the effects of climate change.
Gardens
The history of the Earth brought to life in the new gardens at the Natural History Museum
Complete with new dinosaur, the Natural History Museum has transformed their five-acre gardens for big and small explorers in the heart of London, as part of its Urban Nature Project.
Charity
The Stroke Association launches digital garden
In a charity first, the Stroke Association has launched a digital garden called ‘Strength in Bloom’ to raise vital funds for the charity and support stroke survivors.
Awards
Mayfield Park wins coveted Green Flag Award
The Green Flag Award has been granted to Mayfield Park in Manchester with the judges declaring that they had ‘never seen such an outstanding urban park in 20+ years of judging’.
Case Study
Alitex case study: Happy employees is good business
Staff are a company’s most important asset but even though many businesses sing to this mantra, there are often cases where employees fall into the lesser valued categories of company stakeholders.
Collaboration
Kim Murray and Sarah Raven launch new tulip collection
Kim Murray has launched a tulip collection in collaboration with the gardener and author, Sarah Raven.
Design
Max Fordham House & Garden
The environmental engineering firm and its eponymous late founder designed Max Fordham House, the UK’s first net zero residential home in Camden, north London.
Events
BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair returns to Audley End
Run in association with English Heritage, the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, returns to Audley End House and Gardens in Saffron Walden in Essex.
Interview
Biodiversity Net Gain: the new nature market explained
The Dirt News interviews Katie Leach, Lloyds Banking Group’s first Head of Nature about the wider environmental and industry benefits brought forward by BNG, and the role of the financial institutions to develop the new compliance nature market.
Plants
Embracing Britain’s native wildflowers
Native plants are those that have occurred naturally in a particular place without human introduction, acclimatised to UK conditions and capable of surviving without intervention.
Business
One of Scotland’s oldest of the ‘new’ native woodlands goes on sale
Conserved and nurtured for the past three decades, the 1200 hectares, native woodland rich Cashel Estate has gone on sale with an asking price of £4m.
Research
Native vegetation does not impact insect biodiversity in small urban gardens
Research in small urban gardens in the Netherlands found that insects were just as abundant in gardens planted with exotic plants as in those filled with native plants
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
The eye-catchers of the 2024 RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
There is ample inspiration to be found at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, from small planting pockets to large show gardens, specialist nursery exhibits and sustainable gardening inspiration throughout – herewith our 2024 highlights.
Research
The more sustainable one’s gardening, the better for you & planet
Scientists at the Royal Horticultural Society have found that gardening sustainably the higher the perceived levels of wellbeing as well as being better for the planet
Health
Proximity to local heritage boosts life satisfaction & wellbeing, worth £29billion annually
Research by Historic England showed that the overall wellbeing value for people’s day-to-day encounters with heritage is estimated to be worth £29 billion annually, providing an average individual benefit of £515.
